ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wind — moving air
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. tear — from crying
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. tear — to rip

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com